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Luckily, this is a result of better treatments for Leukemia, not a rise in the number of pediatric brain tumors. This underlines the need for more research. We need YOUR help to enable us to fund more research. The ideas are there - just not the money.
From our friends at the CERN Foundation. They did an excellent job on this guide about Ependymomas.
This trial will be for patients with newly diagnosed GBM who are told the tumor is inoperable. This is a form of laser surgery where a small hole is made in the skull and a special probe is inserted to destroy the tumor. It can sometimes be done in locations that were though impossible to treat using regular surgery.
The Neuroblate system is already available all over the USA. You can find a doctor near you at http://mybrainsurgeryoptions.com/directory/locations/
[Disclosure: Monteris is a sponsor of the Musella Foundation]
The concept of cytomegalovirus being associated with GBMs is controversial. Some researchers say 100% of GBM samples have it, others say none of them have it. I tend to agree with the ones that say it is very common in GBM samples. IF that is true, this study may show how CMV can promote the formation of tumors. And that opens the door for treatments. There is already an approved drug that fights CMV, and there is a brain tumor vaccine under development that targets the CMV. Preliminary results look good. This study also identifies other downstream targets which may be exploited.
It's getting close! One month away to the start of an exciting season! Get your tickets now and help us fund some really important brain tumor research!
Val-083 is an experimental treatment (actually it is approved in China for other types of cancer) for brain tumors. It is similar to Temodar, but works at a different site which is not affected by the MGMT status of the patient. The VAL-083 trial for recurrent GBM should be considered for patients who have unmethylated MGMT.
This press release talks about combining VAL-083 with Temodar or BCNU, and implanting it at the time of surgery to increase the dosage of the drugs at the site of the tumor. Sounds exciting.
Nice story about one of the members of our online support group (Brain-novocure)! To join the group, go to https://virtualtrials.com/lists.cfm and select brain-Novocure
According to this study, adding Gliadel at the time of the initial surgery, followed by the (old) standard of care adds about 3-4 months to overall survival. That is pretty good, considering it is a 1 time treatment done at the time of surgery. I feel it should be used more often than it is. Some hospitals seem to use it a lot, and others not at all.
This brings up an exciting possibility. Optune is not used during radiation now, for theoretical reasons - the radiation can irritate the skin and cause delayed healing, which may make the irritation from the electrodes worse. As far as I know it was never tried. Might be worth trying.
Another abstract on Optune showing a good effect in the test tube.
This program will probably close quickly so if you think you may need it, apply as soon as possible!
This is exciting but going too slow! I am trying to speed up the process! I am saving up to fund a brain tumor research project that combines a checkpoint inhibitor with a vaccine in a human trial!
This oral treatment crosses the blood brain barrier.
This is your chance to meet and hang out with me and other families dealing with brain tumors while enjoying the first game of the season at Barclays! Always a fun event!
This is the most important article on our website and is updated once a year.. Ben Williams originally wrote the book: Surviving Terminal Cancer: Clinical Trials, Drug Cocktails, and Other Treatments Your Oncologist Won't Tell You About" in 2002. Since treatment change so rapidly, it needed an update every year, and Ben graciously allowed us to host the yearly updates to distribute for free. This year, for the first time, our medical editor, Stephen Western, helped Ben update it. New this year is an easy way to see changes from previous editions - they are now in red. They did a great job and this is a must read for anyone who is interested in Brain Tumors.
This is only in mice now but looks exciting.
I had a relative do great for over 5 years with high dose tamoxifen for her gbm. It was relatively popular before Temodar came into use. Studies showed that it helped a small % of patients, but when it helped, it helped a lot. And it had minimal side effects. This article might explain why it helps some patients and not others. More research needs to be done.
There has always been the fear that using Avastin would cause the tumor to become more invasive as the blood supply to the tumor gets cut off. This article shows in a large number of patients that this fear is not justified.
This article is scary. The big hope was that by finding the genetic mutations in a tumor, a cocktail of drugs could be prescribed to personalize the treatment plan for each person's tumor. This small study shows that we are not there yet. A lot more research needs to be done before the concept should be discarded.
This should make the Optune system easier to use.
